A 26-year-old city resident was fatally shot Tuesday night on the porch of his southwest home.
Nathaniel Laster was pronounced dead in the emergency room of Aultman Hospital at 12:18 a.m. Wednesday, the Stark County Coroner’s Office confirmed.
Massillon Lt. Nick Antonides said police received a call about gunfire around 11:45 p.m. Tuesday and went to home in the 500 block of Fifth Street SW.
What we know about Nathaniel Laster shooting
Officers found a man on the front porch bleeding from the chest and began to perform life-saving measures until paramedics arrived, he said. Massillon emergency personnel transported the man to Aultman Hospital.
Antonides said police continue to investigate. He said several witnesses reported hearing about six to eight gunshots. Antonides said Laster had one gunshot wound to his upper body and is awaiting more information from the coroner about other injuries.
“Most everything is still being investigated,” he said. Several witnesses were interviewed.
Antonides declined to say whether there is a suspect or a person of interest in the shooting.
A neighbor said her 14-year-old was hanging out with friends when he heard a man yell, “No, no, no” followed by the sound of gunshots. He told his mom he saw a man wearing a ski mask.
Neighbors react
A next-door neighbor was getting ready for bed when she heard someone yell “no” and then what sounded like gunshots.
“I heard him scream. ‘No,” Ruth Ann Peters said. An alley – Erb Court – stands between the victim’s home and Peters’ home.
Antonides did not confirm the witnesses’ statements.
Peters said Laster was a “very good kid” who was always quick to help out his mom, who also lived at the house.
Laster’s mother and other family members gathered on the wrap-around porch of the home Wednesday morning. They declined requests to comment at this time.